Helicopter Simulator 2014: Search and Rescue

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Become an emergency pilot and test your skills to their limits, as you sit in the cockpit of an emergency helicopter, across more than 40 challenging missions. Choose from 8 models of 'copter, each varying in size, ability and specs. Fighting forest fires, communication failures, and conducting perilous search & rescue missions are just the start... you'll face many more natural disasters through…

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

30%

Audience ScoreBased on 120 reviews

humor4 positive mentions

graphics9 negative mentions

The game can be fun and entertaining for casual players, especially those who enjoy arcade-style gameplay.
Some players appreciate the nostalgic value and find it worth the low price, especially if they enjoyed similar games in the past.
The game offers a variety of missions and helicopters, providing a decent amount of content for players who are willing to overlook its flaws.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including crashes, long loading times, and problems with starting missions.
Controls are often described as clunky and unresponsive, making it difficult to fly the helicopters accurately, especially without joystick support.
Graphics are dated and subpar, failing to meet modern standards, which detracts from the overall experience.

story
43 mentions
7 % positive mentions
86 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around a series of helicopter rescue missions, offering a variety of objectives that players find imaginative yet sometimes poorly designed. While the missions can be engaging, many players report technical issues, such as crashes and unclear mission requirements, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these challenges, the game provides a casual flying experience with changing weather conditions and a selection of helicopters tailored to specific missions.
- “The missions and objectives are imaginative and exciting.”
- “It is for those players who want to play the exciting helicopter missions, who like to carry out support orders and face challenges in solving complex and tricky requirements with the atmosphere and thrill of a helicopter.”
- “First mission requires you to rescue people from a crashed airplane that lies 800 meters away from the hospital; I suppose it was easier to call for a rescue helicopter than, say, drive an ambulance across a flat green field.”
- “Although there are a variety of missions, they are all basically the same.”
- “But mission design shows a lack of careful planning.”
- “In the first mission I played, it had strange requirements that made no sense.”
graphics
27 mentions
11 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated and subpar, with many reviewers noting that they do not meet modern standards, especially for a title released in 2014. While some players find the visuals acceptable for the game's price and enjoy the overall experience, others criticize them as poor and lacking detail. Overall, the graphics are described as "dated" but "livable," with a few users appreciating the scenery from helicopter views despite the technical shortcomings.
- “Nice little game worth the buck it cost; the helicopter flying on the hard setting gets fun when you get used to it. The game runs fine, and the graphics are kind of nice too.”
- “While most people knock this game for its bad controls and graphics, I for one, am having a great time with this game.”
- “Graphic junkies might be a little bit disappointed, but for everyone else, the graphics are absolutely appropriate.”
- “The graphics are almost horrendous to begin with.”
- “The graphics are so far from 2014 standards it's not even funny.”
- “Dated, runs fine but the graphics are awful.”
gameplay
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some users finding it fun despite its basic and dated mechanics, while others criticize the terrible controls and graphics, suggesting a significant drop in quality compared to other titles from the same developer. Overall, potential players are advised to watch gameplay footage before making a purchase.
- “In my opinion, they do not inhibit gameplay at all.”
- “I suggest that anyone before buying should watch a gameplay video of it first.”
- “As for gameplay, it's actually fun.”
- “Terrible controls, bad graphics, and boring gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is very basic and really feels quite dated.”
- “In comparison to the detailed and thoughtful 'Car Mechanic Simulator' title they released recently, this is a huge drop in quality.”
music
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely criticized for being grating and mismatched to the gameplay experience, with users noting its repetitive nature and limited variety, consisting mainly of a short loop and annoying brass crescendos. Many players opted to turn the music off entirely, as it detracted from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The music and sound design create an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall gameplay experience.”
- “The soundtrack is catchy and fits well with the game's theme, making it enjoyable to listen to while playing.”
- “The ability to adjust the music level allows players to customize their audio experience to their preference.”
- “Omg, the music is grating and annoying; frequent use of brass crescendos gives the impression of flying in a warzone.”
- “The only annoying thing for me is the music, as it didn't match the visuals I experienced while flying over the woods or the coastline, so I switched it off completely.”
- “The only sounds in this game are the same soundtrack, a 60-second loop of 'radio chatter', and engine sounds that are identical for all helicopter models.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is appreciated for its comedic take on arcade-style gameplay, particularly through its amusing disasters and intentionally broken mechanics. While the graphics may not meet modern standards, players find the overall experience entertaining, especially for those looking for a lighthearted and funny game.
- “But it is still a funny arcade game for those who are not experts in helicopters.”
- “I bought it because I had a dollar looking at me on my Steam account, and I decided I wanted to get a funny and broken game.”
- “Most of the 'disasters' in this game are hilarious!”
optimization
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Users report significant performance drops near buildings and during weather effects, indicating a lack of optimization. Some have attempted to improve performance by adjusting settings in the AMD Catalyst app, but these efforts have not yielded satisfactory results. Overall, the game is perceived as poorly optimized.
- “[*] Set AMD Catalyst driver app to use high performance mode.”
- “Performance drops in the vicinity of buildings and/or when weather effects are on.”
- “My best guess is that it may have something to do with either the fact that it's installed on the C drive or that I had to manually assign high performance mode to the AMD Catalyst app, or both. But I'm sure I did that before and it didn't work.”
- “It didn't run all that well either, and didn't feel at all optimized.”
stability
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a generally stable experience with no significant bugs or crashes, although one user experienced a freezing issue when attempting to access the hangar. It appears that further updates may provide more insight into long-term stability.
- “I click on go to hangar and it freezes.”
- “I haven't seen any bugs, glitches, or crashes yet, but maybe it's too early to tell. I will update if there are any changes.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by the inclusion of com chatter, immersing players in the excitement of piloting helicopter missions. It appeals to those seeking thrilling challenges without the need for extensive technical knowledge, allowing for an engaging experience in support operations.
- “It is for those players who want to experience exciting helicopter missions, enjoy carrying out support orders, and face the challenge of solving complex and tricky requirements, all while immersing themselves in the thrilling atmosphere of helicopter flight.”
- “The inclusion of comm chatter adds to the atmosphere of piloting.”
- “It is for those players who want to play the exciting helicopter missions, who enjoy carrying out support orders and tackling complex and tricky requirements, but do not want to invest their playing time in complicated technical manuals and controls.”